Colin McGuire

So, here’s some last-minute, very breaking, very sad news: We learned only a couple hours ago that The Cellar Door will be unable to host music for The Thing on Saturday. Scheduled for The Cellar Door was our jazz slate (always some of the best stuff you’ll find all day), and that was going to feature Darryl Brenzel and Jeff Cosgrove, the latter of whom you can find with his trio above in a previous “Frederick One Take.” Sadly, because of the late notice, we are unable to find a replacement venue, so for the first time in its long three-year history, The Thing will not have a jazz music venue. Still, the show must go on (rain or shine; gray or blue), and despite the very honest sadness that comes along with losing a venue, we still have six other venues that will host music on Saturday and you can find all the artists and all the set times in our post earlier today. It promises to be an awfully fun day filled with some of the best music this fine city has to offer, and if you miss it, you’ll be missing out. Outside of The Thing, you’ll have Chris Smaha tonight, you’ll have Marzy Maddox Friday night (before they hit the Eagles stage for The Thing on Saturday), you’ll have some open mics, you’ll have Stephanie Quayle, you’ll have Rain, you’ll have NoXit, and you’ll have Ginada Pinata, who will be funk-rocking Cafe Nola Saturday night after The Thing concludes. If, God willing, there will be a Thing 4, we’ll need to see you on Saturday. So … see you Saturday, right? … Right?!

We are less than 48 hours away from the third installment of The Thing. The excitement, as you can see, is overwhelming. The fun kicks off at noon at The Cellar Door and will conclude with a concert along Carroll Creek. That concert will feature Hard Swimmin’ Fish, Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night, Samuel Powers, Cheshi and Scott Ambush (above).

Now, you’re probably wondering: When, exactly, can I see all these fabulous bands on this fabulous day? Boy, what a good question, that is. In fact, it’s such a good question, it has inspired this very post. Behold the set times for all the acts you’ll see on Saturday. Remember: If you get to all seven venues, you’ll receive a t-shirt, a Frederick One Take CD and a pint glass.

What’s the only thing more curious than a concept album? A local concept album.

Such is why Patterns In Traffic’s “Direction” finds itself stuck at a red light more often than it does facing that ever-illusive green signal. According to Kyle Simmons, the one-man-band behind the Patterns In Traffic moniker, the six-song set is “a themed EP based on the six relative directions (forward, backward, left, right, up and down),” and the songs “explore different concepts and interpretations of those words.”

It’s not particularly the highest of high concepts, sure, but clearly, Simmons had a vision. The problem? While the singer/songwriter goes to great pains on his website to explain the stories behind each song here (honestly, check out patternsintraffic.com and find a trove of essays revolving around these things), the notion spends far too much time in the space between clever and forced.

Take opener “Forward,” which finds Simmons repeating the word incessantly throughout each chorus in a way that will admittedly stick on your head for days. Still, there’s something missing from the composition. He makes no secret of the fact that he’s the man behind every instrument here — even drums, which, according to his website, can be chalked up to some trickery in Logic — and perhaps that’s why the track hints at a lack of soul. Yeah, the droning guitar combines a neat mix of 10,000 Maniacs’ “These Are The Days” and … wait for it … Sixpence None The Richer’s “Kiss Me,” but when Simons tries to put on his aggressive face as the hook opens up, it lacks believability.

As for where the concept stretches thin, check “Down,” one of the weakest musical moments on the album. Playing with gloomy chords and a groove that never quite feels human, the bright spot is an infectious guitar hook that announces the songwriter as an artist who knows his way around a hook. Still, when you’re married to a through-line and the magic word is used so flippantly with a throwaway like “We could write down all of our regrets” … well, it just seems lazy. The world was never clamoring for a six-song EP dedicated to driving directions, so if you’re going to do it, at least take the time to make the concept more … conceptual.

Not all is lost, though. Sins can be forgiven with the ‘80s bubblegum of “Up.” Clearly the moment that calls the most people to the biggest dance floor, the track cements Simons’ place in pop. While each song on the EP displays the singer’s ability to toy with bright colors and sensitive sugar, this, the best track here, makes you yearn for an LP from him filled with more candy and less weight. Complete with lush backing harmonies throughout each chorus, Simons’ unassuming voice works best when it’s not asked to be taken as seriously, and the positivity behind the message of “Up” — “It’s not as scary as it seems if you turn the lights on,” he contends — plays well into his strengths. It’s a lovely detour.

Smoother roads continue with “Backward,” which serves as perhaps the sharpest metaphor offered on a record about relationships masked as some comment on traffic arrows. “Fall back to you” is the money line here, and if you’re going to write something about traveling in that direction, you could do worse — especially if that phrase is followed by something like “My world is spinning and you’re all I can hold on to.” What makes the song stand out is the fact that it holds the set’s most fascinating moment: With a little less than a minute to go, the track spreads out to make room for a drum break that sounds weirdly real … even if it’s all through the magic of Logic. Why Simons would opt for such a moment is confusing when you consider how intense it could have been with a real drummer. It just feels like going out of your way to highlight a pothole.

“Right,” meanwhile, rocks a little harder than it should. Why Simons tries so desperately to gain an edge is beyond comprehension — his soft, pop-emo voice doesn’t lend itself to it, and try as he may, the heft of the production just isn’t there, making the statements of grit feel more and more insincere. Even the whiny guitar lead feels shoehorned into a place where perhaps a synthesizer would have done him better. Conversely, “Left” highlights the singer’s tenderness as he channels Ben Folds and becomes considerably more victorious. There’s no real need for an accompanying “band” to kick in after the halfway point, but he still gets points for understanding how to craft a solid ballad.

What he doesn’t receive points for, however, is his ability to understand what he does best. If Kyle Simons wants to write pop music, the sky above him is limitless. If he wants Patterns In Traffic to be a serious rock project, he might want to reconsider his route. Either way, “Direction” comes off as a guy trying to find his footing as an artist, which isn’t always a bad thing, and, at the utmost least, can always be forgiven.

The only thing that matters now is a simple question: As Kyle Simons speeds ahead, which lane will he ultimately choose to use?

** 2 STARS OUT OF 4 **

Patterns In Traffic: ‘Direction’ was last modified: October 4th, 2018 by Colin McGuire

You love yourself some blues. You need yourself some blues. You’ll get yourself some blues. If you head to The Blue Side, that is. Indeed, Saturday night marks Reggie Wayne Morris’s return to the bar on Bentz Street, and if you have a little blue in you, that will, for sure, be the place to be. Sadly, Carroll Creek will not be the place to be tonight as Alive @ Five is canceled due to the weather. The good news for Freddie Long fans, however, is that he will now kick off next year’s slate, when the summer concert series begins in 2019. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the weather holding out one week from Saturday as The Thing rocks and rolls its way through downtown Frederick. Again. Fingers crossed. As for this weekend, you’ll have some DJ Two Teks. You’ll have some jazz this evening. You’ll have some Doc Marten … and all those Flannels. You’ll have some Knotty G’s. You’ll have some Let There Be Rock. You’ll have some Jack Funk. You’ll have some Safe Harbor. You’ll have some Toad The Wet Sprocket (on Sunday). You’ll have some Chris Smaha. And, naturally, you’ll have some My Life On Hold. Because honestly: Who’s life isn’t on hold at this point? Rain, rain, go away. Viva … October.

THURSDAY

Who: Jazz with Brian Litz and friendsWhere: Beans In The BelfryWhen: 7 p.m.

Having formed in 1986, Toad The Wet Sprocket has celebrated its share of ups and downs throughout its 30-plus year history. In 1991, the band released “Fear,” which was their first platinum-selling set, and it featured the hits “All I Want” and “Walk On The Ocean.” Success continued for Toad when they released “Dulcinea” in 1994, and the album went Gold. But then in 1998, the quartet broke up, only to reunite in 2006. These days, they pride themselves on touring and they’ll be performing at the Weinberg Center Sunday night at 8 p.m. We caught up with the band’s bassist, Dean Dinning, to talk about Frederick being the last date of the tour, the evolution of the music industry and why they know there are certain songs they can’t afford to not play whenever they hit the road.

This, from what I understand, is going to be the final date of the tour — the Frederick date. Is that accurate?

I think. It’s at the end of our touring for the year, that’s for sure.

You guys are on a break right now, I think. I’m assuming that was done on purpose — you knew you would need a break?

Yeah. We were on the road for five weeks straight and when we go out, we work hard. For guys our age, we work harder than a lot of people do. We do about five shows a week. We work Wednesday through Sunday and generally go dark on Monday and Tuesday. We don’t need hotels very often. We get a sleeper coach, a bus, and we drive overnight. After about five weeks, you’re just about ready to strangle everyone, even though you love them to death. And I’m talking about the fans; I’m not talking about the band (laughs). You come home, you hit the reset button, you go out and do it again. Generally, the shows in the second half are better than the shows in the first half. You can go out there and everything’s all dialed in. We refined the set list over the last month so we know what we’re doing. Yeah, it’ll be great.

Speaking of wanting to strangle people, you guys broke up for a few years. Where are things right now? How has the tour been? What is the state of the band these days?

This has been the best tour we’ve done in years. Everyone is getting along great. We don’t really want to strangle each other. This has been the most pleasant tour in years. We were all kind of surprised when it was over because it just went so well. The reason we broke up back at the end of the ‘90s, we got some bad advice. We didn’t really need to break up; we should have taken a break. It was a bad choice and we recognize that, so we’ve been playing together every year again since 2006. I think we’ve been back together longer than we were together the first time. You know, it’s not a bad experience if you learn something from it.

You said you guys got some bad advice — what was that advice?

We didn’t actually need to break up to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish. We could have taken a couple years off. When we broke up, we lost our record deal. Looking back on it now, we didn’t realize that when you flash-forward to 2018, compact discs wouldn’t be selling anymore. When you think about it, we lost a few years where we could have made some records and actually moved some CDs before the bottom fell out of the music industry.

Boy, I’m glad you said that because I’m really interested in that. Coming back now, compared with when you first started, the industry was so lucrative and as you said, the bottom fell out. What do you think was the biggest contributor? Was it a course-correction? Was it always over-bloated?

I think what happened was that the compact disc format and digital audio in general, after years of LPs and cassettes and eight-tracks and everything else … when people thought that CDs would be the end, and that would be the final thing … well, now, you can hear the music perfectly. So, I’m going to repurchase all my favorite music. If I really, really love it, I’m going to go buy a CD of this, so I’ll have it forever. What no one realized at the time was that CDs would not be the forever format that we thought they would be. I stream things. I have a Spotify Premium account. As someone who works at a studio and is constantly referencing things … there are just huge advantages to that, being able to have your entire library of music on a small mobile device. It’s interesting now because vinyl has made a bit of a comeback and we just remastered and reissued our two most successful records, “Fear” and “Dulcinea,” on vinyl. I went in personally to the guy that we worked with … and we did the whole package. The fans are just flipping out over these vinyl releases. And they really do sound good. People are really enthusiastic about the quality.

I wanted to ask you about that. I know you were pretty involved with the re-releases. Why did you want to do that to begin with and why were you the one to head it up?

I had the relationship with the mastering place. And the reason for that is fairly simple: It was because I lived closest to the place (laughs). So, it was closer for me to drive there than anyone else. We all just hung out and made it a fun day. It took all day to do it because we’d have to cut it on the lay and then go listen to it. In the end, we ended up shortening the time between songs in order to get wider grooves on the whole platter. I learned all kinds of stuff. I guess the main reason why I put myself in charge was because I thought it would be fun (laughs).

You were in a band called Lap Dog?

That was after Toad broke up the first time.

I’m reading a sentence from the Internet: “Dinning quit the band to split his time between recording and producing local music and pursuing his acting career.” I wasn’t aware that you had an acting career. Can you talk a little about that?

It was very brief. It was something I wanted to try because I liked to do character voices. I had friends that talked me into going to a class. And I had taken a lot of improv and a lot of on-camera classes. I just started hanging out in the actor scene in L.A. What I realized was that everyone else I knew was way better at it than I was and I had no business messing around in that area. But I learned a lot of things that I’ve been able to put back into music. When I’m in the studio working with a singer, I handle them a lot like an acting coach would, especially if I’m trying to get them into a certain emotional place for a song. I’m just better at music than I am at acting anyway.

Do you miss acting?

You know, I get to do so much great stuff in other aspects of the film and TV world, so I don’t really miss it. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes person. Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of post-production work. Scoring, doing songs after the fact, for film and TV. I think that’s more my place.

You had mentioned that the biggest albums you guys put out came in the early ‘90s. That was a very fun time for music. This might be a tough question to nail down, but were there any bands in that era that didn’t get the big break they deserved? Maybe a band you loved that not a lot of people knew about?

Santa Barbara got a lot of attention after we got our record deal. There was a band called Summer Camp — they actually toured with us — and they had a song that was a hit, but it was only a hit overseas. Then, there was Dishwalla, but they managed to get a platinum album. The funny thing about the ‘90s was it seems like it was so much easier to get success then, than it is to get success now. Now, you have to have social media numbers. Think about how much it wasn’t about appearances back then. It was just Pearl Jam going on stage, wearing whatever. Now that everything is so image-based, you can’t really do that. But I’m sure there were some. One of our favorite bands that we ever took out with us was a band called Geggy Tah. And one of the guys in that band was Greg Kurstin, and he’s actually a huge producer now. He wrote “Hello” with Adele. I can’t really say I feel bad for Greg, though, is my point (laughs).

Would you say that now is a better time for music as a whole or was back then a better time?

First, we have to define what a better time means. Is it a better time because anyone can release anything they want? I think there’s a huge problem out there with people releasing things before they’re ready. If we were coming out today, and we made a demo, people would say, “Oh, that’s great, you guys should put that on Spotify or release it on iTunes.” A lot of people didn’t like the old system of A&R and gatekeepers and tastemakers, but now, we still have that, except they are people who curate playlists. Everybody’s focused on how to get their song on certain playlists. The payola that used to be in the music industry — that’s still alive and well. A lot of these playlists that people get on — at least if you’re on a major label — is costing thousands of dollars, just like it cost thousands of dollars to get on certain radio stations back in the day. That type of thing has always been going on. It might be harder and easier to find great music. I can put on a playlist and if I hear something I like, I can add it to a playlist of mine and I can refine my choices. I’m managing to be my age and I’m still hearing new music that excites me every week. But there’s a lot of stuff to wade through. It’s really hard to break through because there’s more stuff now than there was ever before, and a lot of the story is the same: A lot of the stuff that will get noticed is the stuff that has the most money behind it. That’s the way it is.

Do you miss the concept of an album?

I don’t miss the concept of an album. There are certain artists that can definitely pull off an album. The thing is, I’ll hear a single by somebody, and another single and another single. You can’t just drop an album all at once because everything today is about stretching the story out as much as possible. Unless you’re Drake, you drop an album, you throw all 10 songs out there at once. And then a month later, it’s gone. But if you stretch it out … it’s all about telling the story nowadays. If a band gets three great records in a row — I think that’s the hurdle to get over. Then you can have a pretty decent career. For us, we have so many songs right now that we pretty much have to play every night that even if we did put out a new album, we’d only be able to add maybe two or three of those songs to our setlist. When you get to the stage that we’re at, it’s more about the live set than it is making albums. And if you’re lucky, you get to kind of have a show that you get to take around for people. It’s more about how the songs fit together in terms of what you’re presenting every night. For us right now, a song would have to be pretty darn great to be able to make it into the live set because it’s like, “what song are you willing to lose?” And that becomes a harder and harder question. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to be Elton John. I mean, that’s ridiculous. You just have to realize that some people are going to be disappointed every night and that’s the way it is. But to bring it back around … no one will be disappointed at our show!

A Q&A with Dean Dinning of Toad The Wet Sprocket was last modified: September 26th, 2018 by Colin McGuire

It’s like Christmas in September. Or something like that. Either way, the above video features Silent Old Mtns., who will be rocking and rolling at Cafe Nola tomorrow night (that’s Friday for those keeping score at home). They are bringing some of their friends, and you should, too. Elsewhere this weekend, Cafe 611 is hosting some face-melting awesomeness with five bands set to take the stage. Jack Funk, ye of The Funk, will be plugging in at Olde Towne and that’s going to be something you shan’t miss. The Rock-A-Sonics are bringing the rock-a-billy to Barley & Hops, so head on out there to boogie down. The Frederick Rock School is hosting an open house, and there’s this band that’s set to play it. Alive @ Five is heading into its second-to-last act of the summer. The Great Frederick Fair is heading into its final three days, and those days will include some interesting entertainment. And then there’s Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night, who we One-Take-ed earlier this week. Speaking of that … you’ll be at The Thing, right? It’s only two weeks away. Your schedule is cleared, is it not? OK, cool. Good. See you there.

It’s so easy to look at Sepia and think “alternative rock.” And while the label has been thrusted upon them since they began releasing records in 2013, it’s not hard to see why. Ryan Beckelman’s voice sits firmly in the space between the obvious (Bush’s Gavin Rossdale) and the obscure (Mayfield Four-era Myles Kennedy). The songs plod along, for the most part, at a mid-tempo destined to be played during an era when rock music was a much bigger part of the mainstream.

Or in other words, you love your WHFS. You need your WHFS.

What’s not nearly as easy to decipher, though, is if it’s any good. Like a pop hook with your crunchy guitars? These guys have you covered. Prefer pristine production and a beefy, well-rounded sound? That’s harder to come by on the quartet’s latest 10-song LP, “Drop Dead, Gorgeous.” While the songs are adequately crafted — if not just a little too predictable at times — the more glaring aspect of the recording is the production. The drums aren’t full. The guitars aren’t punchy. The bass is barely noticeable.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a track more guilty of that than the opener, “Change For You.” Derek Falzoi’s drums constantly feel like they’re playing catchup, as the song’s groove never settles into anything remotely comfortable. Because of as much, the performance feels too loose, an outline for an artistic idea that could succeed with a better studio engineer and drums that feel more planted, more confident. Instead, the listener is left with something that feels forced — insincere, even.

The good part, though, is that it gets better — and it happens almost immediately, with the significantly tighter “Cool.” Beginning with a simple guitar line, this is where Beckelman truly gets his Mr. Machinehead on, offering breathy vocals that fall right in line with anything from “Sixteen Stone” and beyond. Better yet is the pre-chorus interlude that serves as a legitimate opportunity to dance through those oversized JNCOs you know you’ll be wearing. It combines for one of the better moments on the record.

As for what’s the best moment on the record … that title can probably go to “Hard To Tell,” which showcases a more rounded, versatile side of the band. Centered around an acoustic guitar that owes at least something to the pop-grass that had its hot minute in the Top 40, it works, if in no other way, as a reprieve from the gloomy aesthetics painting the other nine songs. It’s bright, it moves well, and as a welcome surprise, Beckelman’s voice actually translates solidly into another genre, which is way more impressive than a first glance might suggest. Sure, it can feel a tiny bit hokey at times, but these guys deserve credit for leaving their comfort zone and succeeding.

That softer side does them well again on “Delaware,” the most made-for-pop-radio moment within the collection. Again driven by an acoustic guitar, this time the band gravitates back toward its mid-tempo center and what you have is the best thing DC 101 never heard in 1996. And as if the downtrodden vibe wasn’t ‘90s-ified enough, the pretty guitar solo that paints the bridge certainly makes you want to set that VCR to record the next episode of “120 Minutes.” Nostalgia can be a great thing when you use it correctly.

Sadly, it’s not used correctly everywhere throughout the record. “Better Out Than In” tries to kick up the speed and much like “Change For You,” the approach doesn’t do the group any favors despite a tasteful guitar riff that opens up throughout each hook. And while there are things to value in the album’s de facto single “Marionette,” it’s hard not to sigh when Beckelman decides to trade in actual words for a flurry of “na-na-nas” for the latter half of the bridge. Mirroring an infectious guitar riff, it’s the type of decision that can work in moderation, but its insistence here makes the move feel lazy.

Yet lazy isn’t quite the word to sum up Sepia’s problems throughout “Drop Dead, Gorgeous.” It’s easy to tell that they care, they try, they do their best. Some moments work better than others while other moments don’t work at all (“I hope you know/I hope you know/This isn’t cool anymore” is a really tough line to swallow, given the way they deliver it). But regardless of subjective success, you can at least take solace in knowing that this album will shoot you right back into simpler, more innocent time in mainstream music.

You know the drill. A little while ago, two fine young men, Kenny Eaton and Jordan Miller, approached us with an idea for a partnership: Bring bands into Kenny’s Mystery Ton Studios, ask them to record a song, sit them down for an interview, video everything, and release all of it to the masses. Manning the cameras, of course, would be Jordan, along with his Gypsy Cab crew, and we would call the thing “Frederick One Take.”

This is typically where we run down through all the other episodes, recapping each guest and providing a link … but that list is becoming too long to constantly mention. So, instead, we’d love to encourage you to take a look at the Frederick One Take tag on this very website, or to head over to our YouTube channel to have a look at all the other wonderful videos that have come out of this tiny project. Frederick has some awfully remarkable musical talent in and around its parameters, you know.

Anyway, this month, we have local country music/Americana/bluegrass act Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night performing a song that has the greatest first line ever recorded on a Frederick One Take: “You didn’t only break my heart, you hurt my liver, too.” The tune is called “Another Round” and we were pleased as punch that they could take time out of their busy schedule to come by Mystery Ton Studios (with a brand new drummer, even!). It’s worth noting that this fine group of musicians will be playing the main stage (Carroll Creek Amphitheater) at this year’s installment of The Thing, which is set to go down Saturday, Oct. 6. This is pertinent information right now because today (that’s Wednesday, Sept. 19, for those keeping score) is the final day you can save a whole bunch of money on a wristband that will get you into every show throughout the day. Where can you go to save that whole bunch of money? You can go right here, thank you very much. And after you go there, you can check out Michelle Hannan & One Blue Night’s Facebook page and Twitter account to get up to date on all the goings-on of those fine, fine individuals. They won’t let you down, we promise.

We love sharing this video of Mr. Husband, and as it turns out, Mr. Husband will be performing for your entertainment at Cafe Nola on Saturday. You’re going to go, right? Right. Those guys never disappoint. What might disappoint people this weekend? Well … the rain. For some reason, people don’t like it. Still, at least as far as we can tell, Alive @ Five is going on as we speak along the creek. So, high five to that. The concert along the creek tomorrow, however, featuring Vinyl Rhino? That appears to be postponed. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a bunch of great things going on. Marzy Maddox, whose album we reviewed recently, will be taking the Cafe 611 stage. Jeff Cosgrove, who we also One-Take-ed at some point, will be bringing his mixed bag of jazz to Beans In The Belfry. Gary Allan kicks off the Great Frederick Fair grandstand festivities tomorrow night … only to be followed by John Kay & Steppenwolf on Saturday night. SoulXChange makes their triumphant return to Frederick and Cafe Nola on Friday, and you know they slayed at this year’s Frederick Music Showcase. The Gin Ricky’s, whose album we adored last week, are coming to Bushwaller’s. Matt & Kim, a two-piece band will be at Flying Dog. This thing, one of the only other two-piece bands to ever perform at Flying Dog, is going to play a show, too. And then, of course, Michelle Hannan and One Blue Night (who you just may see more of next week) will be at the Blue Sky. Grab an umbrella. We’ll meet you in Philly.

Sure, Saturday night’s Summer Sessions concert series installment at Flying Dog Brewery is sold out. But hey: When that show features the always-energetic, ageless and fabulously pumped-up Matt and Kim, we feel it incumbent upon us to at least reach out for at least a few before such an experience comes to town. So, well, we did. Behold five questions with Kim Schifino, the drummer half of the duo, who told us a little about her ACL injury, being in a two-piece band and what kind of beer her and Matt like to drink these days.

I read that you had an ACL injury in the past couple years — how has it been touring again? Are there any issues you’re having with performing?

It feels great to be touring again. That year off was horrible. It felt like we were retired and we hated that feeling. We love playing so it was important to me to go hard in rehab so I was strong when we got back on the stage. I still have half a year till I am 100 percent but Matt thinks I go even harder on stage now.

Who are the three artists we can almost always expect to find on your current playlists and why?

Always TI and Meek Mill. I actually have a pre-show warmup I add to every week on Spotify called “Kim’s pre-show warm up.” It’s what I use to get hyped for a show or just going out!

Do you think it’s easier or harder to be in a two-piece band, and why?

I don’t know any other way. This is the only band I’ve ever been in. It works out really well for us so I would never want to change that.

That in mind, what were some of the biggest inspirations behind your band, putting it together style-wise and also the decision to keep it only between the two of you?

We accidentally started the band. I wanted to learn how to play the drums and Matt had this keyboard he was figuring out. A friend of ours forced us to play a show. We didn’t have a band name so they put us down as Matt and Kim. It all just kind of happened. Matt and I see eye to eye on almost everything, so when working on music, it just comes naturally. We like the same stuff which works when writing because we hardly hate what the other writes.

Finally, you guys are playing Flying Dog. If Flying Dog isn’t your favorite brand of beer, what is, and do you have a specific beer that you like the most?

I drink Budweiser. Matt is more flexible and will drink whatever, but right now he is on a tequila kick!

A Q&A with Kim Schifino of Matt and Kim was last modified: September 13th, 2018 by Colin McGuire